“Maybe more than we can tell at present,” agreed Jerry. “We’ll talk it over in our rooms.”
“It’s a clue, that’s what it is!” declared Ned when they were by themselves. “Either this man is one of the thieves, or he’s buying cattle from them. No wonder they can afford to sell below the market price when they don’t have to do anything to get their stock but run it off dad’s ranch. We’ve got to follow this fellow.”
“Well, maybe not exactly that,” said Jerry, slowly, “but I think it might be wise to pump him a bit. He’s made some advances to us, and it won’t look suspicious if we come back at him.”
“You’re not going to gamble with him, are you?” asked Bob in surprise.
“I should say not! There are other ways,” and Jerry smiled. “I guess we haven’t traveled around for nothing.”
But their plan of having further conversation with Mr. Sid Munson was not destined to be carried out just then. For when they looked for him around the hotel he had gone, and the clerk said he had given up his room.
The man who had given his name as Johnson was in evidence, however, but a bit of judicious questioning by the boys, after they had scraped an acquaintance by asking directions for getting about the city, convinced them that he knew no more of Munson, and the cheap cattle, than they themselves had overheard in the talk.
“We might as well get on with our trip,” advised Jerry the next morning, when it became evident that staying in Des Moines would not advance their case. “The sooner we get out to Square Z ranch and look for clues, the better, I think.”
“Same here!” agreed Ned and Bob.